Stamford Board of Education candidates: How well has Hamilton performed?

Updated 6:23 pm, Thursday, October 8, 2015

Photo: Evan Simko-Bednarski / Evan Simko-Bednarski/Hearst Conn

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Nine voting members sit at Tuesday night's meeting of the Board of Education. Tuesday marked the first full meeting of the board to include a full compliment of members since July's resignation of Republican John Leydon less

Nine voting members sit at Tuesday night's meeting of the Board of Education. Tuesday marked the first full meeting of the board to include a full compliment of members since July's resignation of Republican ... more

Photo: Evan Simko-Bednarski / Evan Simko-Bednarski/Hearst Conn

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Mike Altamura

Mike Altamura

Photo: Contributed Photo

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Jerry Bosak, Jr.

Jerry Bosak, Jr.

Photo: Contributed Photo

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Jennienne Burke

Jennienne Burke

Photo: Contributed Photo

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John Ciuffo is the pharmacist and owner of Cornerstone Pharmacy on Stillwater Avenue in Stamford. Photographed on Wednesday, March 20, 2013.

John Ciuffo is the pharmacist and owner of Cornerstone Pharmacy on Stillwater Avenue in Stamford. Photographed on Wednesday, March 20, 2013.

Photo: Jason Rearick / Jason Rearick

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Monica DiCostanzo

Monica DiCostanzo

Photo: Contributed Photo /

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Andy George

Andy George

Photo: Contributed Photo

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Nicola Tarzia

Nicola Tarzia

Photo: Contributed Photo

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Angelica Gorrio, a Democrat, is running for the Stamford Board of Education.

Angelica Gorrio, a Democrat, is running for the Stamford Board of Education.

Photo: Contributed / Contributed

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David Mannis

David Mannis

Photo: Contributed / Contributed

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Ligia Marroquin

Ligia Marroquin

Photo: Contributed / Contributed

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Green Party member Rolf Maurer failed to earn enough votes to win a seat on the Board of Education Tuesday.

Green Party member Rolf Maurer failed to earn enough votes to win a seat on the Board of Education Tuesday.

The Advocate posed 10 questions to Stamford’s Board of Education candidates. Here are their answers to: How well has Superintendent Winifred Hamilton performed? Do you agree or disagree with her decision to retire?

I agree with her decision to retire. After 45+ years of service with the same employer, I would say that retirement is a sensible option. She has devoted most of her life for the SPS, and we should thank her for her commitment. I have personally known her for the past 18 months. Unfortunately this has been for her the most challenging time of her professional career. This has taken a toll on her, and I felt that she should have retired sooner, given the circumstances. A new school year, fresh new BOE members, and a new superintendent (does not have to be a permanent one) would give new hope for the entire city.

I agree with her decision to retire. However, as a leader, she should have stepped down immediately to restore confidence in our district.

Jennienne Burke

The superintendent role is complex and broad. As such, there are aspects of the job that an individual will perform better at than others. A superintendent’s performance has, like any position, built-in accountability, responsibilities and requirements that must be owned. Regarding Dr. Hamilton’s decision to retire, I feel it is a personal and private decision she has every right to make.

John Ciuffo

Our schools are doing well but I don’t think that has anything to do with Winnie Hamilton. All Stamford public cchool employees are considered public trust employees. Meaning they are held to a higher standard. A public trust employee needs to avoid even the appearance of any impropriety. My understanding is that she is not well liked and has lost the respect of her staff and teachers and I have spoken with many who say she runs the system through fear and intimidation. She doesn’t appear to be trusted as a leader. I don’t know if it’s true or if it’s not. I think she should have resigned months ago.

Dr. Hamilton has been a very positive and visible advocate for Stamford Public Schools. Administrators and staff I have spoken with have felt supported and grateful that she has provided personal development growth paths (i.e. championing Administrative Intern positions) and feel that she’s provided much needed support for the ever-changing local school environment. As a parent of an SPS student and member of the Board of Representatives’ Education committee, I have seen and heard of many positive steps taken under her leadership and felt she’s been fiscally responsible. But student safety is sacred - trust and confidence were shattered - I absolutely agree with her decision to retire.

Agree with her decision to retire; she should have stepped down immediately. We are in a “lame duck” malaise that is not good for the district. By staying until January, it prolongs the pain that caused the resignation in the first place.

Angelica Gorrio

I believe Dr. Hamilton accomplished a lot of things in the district. However, along the way I think she lost sight and her leadership capabilities were lacking at a time when it was needed. I think she made the right decision to retire so the focus will go back to the education of the students.

As a citizen of Stamford I am grateful to her for her years of dedicated service but concur in the widespread view that Ms. Hamilton’s decision to resign was an inevitable recognition that there had to be a change of leadership in the district.

Dr. Hamilton has made a decision to retire and now the important thing is to focus on finding a new superintendent. Finding a new superintendent will require everyone to work together and have the children’s/parents’/district’s best interests in mind.

Clearly, her response to the (Stamford High School) scandal is inexcusable, as, if anything, there should have been a call for greater vigilance (and timely police reportage), particularly after what happened in 2011 under Starr (which also involved Valentine of Stamford High). That Ms. Hamilton proposed reinstating the administrators who failed to do their jobs in reporting the more recent student/teacher affair is beyond me. Her retirement decision is her concern.

I believe that Superintendent Hamilton was the wrong person with the wrong approach for the challenges of this district. Her service as interim superintendent enabled us to maintain the status quo for the short term. However, I believe her experience, style and judgment were insufficient for the long-term position.

I believe her appointment as superintendent was inappropriate as evidenced by my voting record and her performance. We/the community, were promised a full public search which was diverted by five sitting board members. (Final vote 8-1). I do agree with her decision to retire now.

I have known Winifred Hamilton for over 15 years; since she was the principal of Dolan. We were instrumental in banning junk food from our schools, which I commend and initiated. As far as her performance to date, I cannot judge accurately, but I believe that recently she was caught in a controversial situation and it should have been handled much better. I agree with her decision to retire, even though the timing might not be the best. The Stamford school system needs to move on from all the negativity of the past few months and years, and move forward to working on creating and implementing positive goals. Start our search for a new superintendent and move ahead.

A superintendent’s job demands an increasing level of professionalism in a wide variety of areas. A superintendent must be conversant with every mechanical/technical system in the building, work diplomatically to solve problems in the building, be responsive to residents and be able to work as a team member with the board and the managing agent. Importantly, be proactive when it comes to heading off problems, be cost conscious when it comes to working with vendors/contractors, and have all the appropriate trained/licensed personnel working in such areas as boilers, HVAC (heating, ventilation/air conditioning) and fire safety, in order to guarantee safety and protection of Stamford schools. I am not agreeing or disagreeing with Superintendent Hamilton’s decision to retire, that is her choice. I do know too much has happened to the Stamford schools over the last few years; and again, it’s time to put Stamford on a better path for a better future.